Origin
New Haven, CT
Morning in New Haven on Sunday
Local time
10:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New Haven, CT to New Canaan, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
37.2 mi
60 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Haven, CT
Wikimedia Commons
New Canaan, CT
David Kanigan
Trip Overview
New Haven to New Canaan is 37.2 miles and takes about 52 minutes via Merritt Parkway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Connecticut, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a quick trip that's mostly highway, making it ideal for a short excursion or a commute. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to travel between these two cities without a lot of fuss. The journey is straightforward and designed for getting from point A to point B with minimal detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Merritt Parkway | 21.8 mi | 28m |
| Wilbur Cross Parkway | 9 mi | 11m |
| Whalley Avenue | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| New Norwalk Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| East Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| College Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Amity Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Tower Parkway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Merritt Parkway
— 21.8 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Haven, CT and New Canaan, CT.
1
Start on College Street
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
College Street
2
Turn left onto Grove Street
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Grove Street
3
Continue on Tower Parkway
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Tower Parkway
4
Turn slight right onto Whalley Avenue
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Whalley Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on CT 63
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Amity Road
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward CT 15 South: New York City
7
Merge onto CT 15
9.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Wilbur Cross Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on CT 15
22 mi
·
28 min
·
Merritt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 15
Toward CT 123: New Canaan Avenue
Use the right lane.
10
Turn left onto CT 123
379 ft
·
7 sec
·
New Canaan Avenue
11
Continue on CT 123
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
New Norwalk Road
12
Turn left onto CT 106
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Avenue
13
At end of road, turn left onto CT 106; CT 124
244 ft
·
6 sec
·
Main Street
14
Turn right onto CT 106; CT 124
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Elm Street
15
Arrive at destination
Elm Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.6 miles from New Haven, CT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 3.8 and 37.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward CT 15 South: New York City
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward CT 15 South: New York City
5
3.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway
Merge onto CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
34.7 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward CT 123: New Canaan Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 15
Toward CT 123: New Canaan Avenue
5
37 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
CT 106; CT 124 / Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto CT 106; CT 124 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
37.1 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
CT 106; CT 124 / Elm Street
Turn right onto CT 106; CT 124 / Elm Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.99 one way
$11.98 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $6.59 | $13.18 |
| premium | $4.86 | $7.12 | $14.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.21 | $16.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.91 | $1.79 |
| Efficient EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.26 | $1.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.21 | $2.38 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
New Canaan, CT
Morning in New Canaan on Sunday
Local time
10:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
52m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 83% of the route utilizing major parkways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 21.8 miles on the Merritt Parkway, offering an extended period of consistent travel. The primary roads include the Wilbur Cross Parkway and Whalley Avenue alongside the Merritt Parkway, suggesting a transition between parkway environments and more urban or suburban arterial roads. Expect a driving experience that balances efficient highway travel with potentially brief moments on surface streets.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.8 mi on Merritt Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Merritt Parkway and Wilbur Cross Parkway. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 37.2 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.8 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 3.9 miles (CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 37.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.8 miles on Merritt Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.8 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 3.9 miles (CT 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Weir Farm National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at New Canaan, CT before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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